When time expired on Kansas State's game with Kansas on Saturday, the unthinkable suddenly became reality. The Wildcats had lost their first home game to their in-state rival in nearly 20 years, and while Kansas players celebrated inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium for the first time since 1989, the vibe in Coach Ron Prince's locker room was far from pleasant.

"The losses stick with you for a long time, especially when you put so much into it," Prince said. "I know the kids have, and the coaches have (worked hard). Our fans put a lot into it. They showed up, and they were great with their attendance today."

Despite suffering consecutive losses to the KU, Kansas State is 12-3 in games with the Jayhawks since 1993. However, those numbers didn't matter to the Wildcats following Saturday's game, as the every player on the team was certainly living in the moment.

"Every time we play KU, it's big. Every game with them is big," said junior Gerard Spexarth. "We have to win every game."

Spexarth's plan hasn't exactly gone as planned during the teams' past two meetings, as Kansas State has struggled mightily against Mark Mangino's team in recent years. And even though Saturday's game was much like last year's loss when it comes to the game's outcome, most K-State players contend that the similarities between the two games begin and end in the loss column.